Comments (People that see sound
(Rounder)
5
First off, notice the record label. Longtime members of the Elektra lineup (the insanely brilliant, and with cover art to die for, Chocolate & Cheese and The Mollusk), and more recently founders of their own label, Chocodog (featuring Moistboyz - half of which was Dean Ween), the here-there-and-everywhere-DIY-lo-fi geniuses from Pennsylvania have gotten on board with the likes of Bluegrass queen Alison Krauss, Mary Chapin Carpenter and get this - Raffi!
But none of that matters, really. It's just a record company - on to the music. As usual Gene and Dean plot a course to the eclectic. There's the sing-along, near-pop "Shamemaker" and " Sweetheart in The Summer," the reggae-inspired "The Fruit Man," a straight outta WSN-from-Nashville-at-the-Opry "Learnin' to Love," an electro-hop inspired "Friends," and the best song on the album, maybe my favorite song of 2007, "My Own Bare Hands."
The music on the track is surging, aggressive, raw. The lyrics, like so much of Ween's poetry, are inspired: "I can build an air-o-plane that travels over land/I can take your DNA and replicate a man…. I'd love to be your ass chigger, stick it up your ass/I'm gonna be your lawnmower and cut your f*ckin' grass… "She's gonna be my c*ck professor/studyin' my d*ick… She's gonna get a Master's Degree in f*ckin' me…"
Brilliant.
Love Ween? You'll love La Cucaracha. They've had twenty-three years to make music on their own terms, and damnit, even if you've never even heard of Ween (where've you been?) get this album. NOW!
-- Dylan Gibbs
They Might Be Giants - The Else
(Idlewild/Zoe Records)
2
Y'know, I will confess to never being a fan of TMBG. Their string of college-radio 'hits' in the late 80's-early 90's seemed too self-consciously quirky and clever (read: unfunny) to me. Well, it seems that the band (consisting of Johns - Flansburgh and Linnell, respectively) are well-tired of being seen in this 'geek-rock' light. This new release, their first in several years after working closely on children's music for Disney, is a much more listenable and even serious collection of post-
Beatles pop with a straightforward rock side. Production by the Dust Brothers is faultless, adding in some more electronic elements, and the Giants' songs here are actually quite pleasant. Maybe they got their silly joke-pop Jones out with the kids' albums? "Careful What You Pack" is a sad little thing, and "The Cap'm" rocks fairly well, for example. But "With The Dark" is a schizophrenic mess of sounds and instruments, and reminds me of Beck's less-interesting genre experiments. Overall, The
Else, is not a bad album by any stretch (and isn't a sufficient enough jump to alienate their fan base), but it still doesn't rise above mediocre to these ears.
-- Todd Zachritz
Various Artists - Guitar Hero III Legends of Rock
(Interscope)
3
I've owned a PS2 for years now, and have never bought or rent any of the Guitar Hero games. My brother-in-law, however, let me play his - the first one, I think - and I have to admit, it was fun for a bit. I tore through "Iron Man" and then it got, well, sort of boring.
Where was this game when I was a kid? All I had was an old Wilson tennis racket and Led Zeppelin II. Then, a really great old acoustic guitar that I learned on until I graduated to electric axes, tube amps, effects and the like.
But enough about that. This is about a CD the folks at Interscope (a subsidiary of UMG, who's probably recording every word I'm currently writing). Where's the trust-busters in our "gummint" when we need them.
Where to begin?
This is a damn cool collection of - ahem - guitar-driven tracks. But first, the not-so-great. Track one, Slash's "Guitar Hero 3 Intro," an instrumental, is a little on the masturbatory side, although it does set the tone for some great songs of the past and present decade. We get Smashing Pumpkins' "Cherub Rock," which for those of us altogether with it back in '93 kicked off the seminal Siamese Dream. Queens of the Stone Age contribute "3's & 7's," which isn't their best by any means, but anything with Josh Homme attached to it is cool with me.
Back in the not-so-great column is AFI's "Miss Murder." Skip. But next up is supergroup Velvet Revolver, a band that's predictable, collectively about 348 years old, and responsible for the lack of good cocaine these days. But damn. They rock. What can I say? They kick in the gnarly "Slither."
Living Colour's Vernon Reid gives Guitar Hero players fits for sure with "Cult of Personality." And Rise Against is here with "Prayer of the Refugees" for the kiddos on track 10.
But a-ha! Let's pat Interscope/UMG on the back for including SONIC YOUTH and the song of theirs casual fans are familiar with, "Kool Thing," the 1990 track with one of the grooviest, devil-may-care riffs and lyrics ever.
Get this for no other reason than there's about 85 percent goodness on here, and it's a perfect party compilation. And now for me, it's back to hacking pedestrians to bits with the chainsaw in GTA: San Andreas…
-- Dylan Gibbs
Lazarus - Hawk Medicine
(Temporary Residence)
2
Trevor Montgomery is a former member of avant-rock iconoclasts Tarentel (and related act The Drift). His second solo album reflects a softer and more song-oriented world, where moments of tragic beauty lurk around every bend. Montgomery's slurry, lethargic vocals are tough to stomach, though, and his overdramatic approach will undoubtably leave some listeners cold and disinterested. Musically, the doomy, almost creepy guitars and reverbed effects approximate a more Goth-affected Red House Painters, perhaps. There are some glimmers of hope, though. The lovely third track, "The Sky Of The Tall Sun," is an uplifting lament with the liltingly beautiful backing vocals by Kathryn Sechrist. The ironically titled "Disco" is a swaying keyboard/guitar instrumental, and brings a measure of hopefulness, with its rising notes and gently tinkling bells, which announce its conclusion. It's back to the morose sorrow in "Hawks," which ends itself with a repeating refrain of 'love you' and 'loving you' amidst a sea of droning guitar noise. Some may see this as an affirmation, but in this sound context, I see it as a lonely goodbye of sorts. Hawk Medicine is a flawed album, seeming a bit one-dimensional to my ears, but there's something here that may take some time and deeper listens to decipher.
-- Todd Zachritz
Nodes Of Ranvier - Defined By Struggle
(Victory)
2
Yikes! "Sermon" begins this with a power-metal chug as brutal as classic Pantera, which gives way to the sheer animosity of "Valjean." This South Dakota-based group of shredders unleashes a seriously charged collection of power-core anthems that skirt the lines between death, power, and prog metal, with a large dose of hardcore. However, this formula falls apart on the weak "Purpose In Pain," which seems a commercial attempt with a more melodic slant and more than a hint of, umm, 'inspirational' lyrics. Ugh. When I need a heavy music fix, I'd much rather hear something truly angry, not a cheesy spiritual message. Anyhow, from there, 'Defined By Struggle' drags on, and on. Much better in small doses, NoR are certainly a skilled group but I'll leave my needs in this realm to Slayer, Mastodon, or Lamb Of God, thanks.
-- Rob Wickett
Hurt - Volume II
(Capitol)
3
Chunky hard rock from a duo who obviously take a little bit of Tool to heart. But far from being another Xerox like Chevelle, Hurt weave in some rougher, simpler 'radio grunge' edges, seemingly reminiscing about the glory days of Cobain and Vedder. That may appear to sound like Hurt are pretty well generic, and, well, they kinda are. 'Talking To God' ushers in big orchestral embellishments and Pink Floyd-ish backing singers, and is a convincing bid for stadium stardom. Other cuts, like the low-key "Better," or the twee "Assurance," are proficient if inessential cuts ready-made for your favorite local FM rock station. There are some hints that there's something far more experimental in these guys' future, but for now, this is pretty much 'meh.'
-- Rob Wickett
Leigh Marble - Red Tornado
(Laughing Stock Records)
3
First, Leigh Marble is a dude, so cast away all expectations there. And his music is a nicely mature set of moody contemporary pop/folk with a really impressive ear for atmosphere, sensitive in spots but with guts as well. He plays a wide range of instruments himself, and his songs are wide-ranging and well-developed, if not altogether memorable. From the big bluesy "Lucky Bastards" to the lower-key alt.country jangle of
"On Your Way," Marble proves himself to be a versatile songwriter. "So Far" is ultra-catchy and could easily be a radio hit. Mr. Marble is on to something! I like it.
Scum Of The Earth - Sleaze Freak
(Eclipse)
1
Former Rob Zombie guitarist Riggs strikes out on his own here, but he seems to have nicked nearly everything--the sound, look, and B-grade horror film aesthetic--of his previous employer. From the lookalike album artwork to the same horror/sci-fi samples to the gruff guttural vocals. Carbon-copy. Xerox. Songs like "Hate x 13" are shallow and unforgivable homages/rip-offs to White Zombie. "Devilscum" could be a remix of any number of Zombie's songs - but it's not, and Riggs is crediting himself with writing it. Ouch. Riggs' journeyman pedigree (he also played with Texan industrial-metallers Skrew as well as Prong before joining Zombie's band) is evident, as his own personality is impossible to find here. Zombie's music, in itself, is certainly not innovative - taking bits from dirty biker metal and infusing it with elements of industrial rock, but SOTE seem to find no other inspiration outside of that tiny little realm. The bonus DVD features 20 minutes of backstage patter and studio hijinks that prove that SOTE love to indulge themselves in their 'rock star' lifestyle. Bleah. It's definitely a must if you require more Zombie in your life, but if you expect some semblance of individuality in your music, this is, hands down, NOT it.
-- Rob Wickett
Tee-C - Enough Said
(Fresh2Def Ent./Track Bangas Music)
4
Self-produced by 19-year-old Long Beach, California native and local hip-hop up-and-comer Terrance (Tee-C) Crowell, Jr., Enough Said drops beats beyond his youth. I mean, to say that Tee-C's life has been lived under presidents named either Bush or Clinton… C's maturity comes through on each of the 14 tracks.
Enough Said isn't PG-rated for sure, but the disc represents local hip-hop in a deft, professional way. Young Crowell's mic work reveals shades of Tupac's cadences; beats come along at times bouncy - other times laid back. But whether he's talking girls, hanging out, life on the streets, or just busting rhymes for fun, Tee-C's deliveries don't break any new real ground, but put it in at a house party and it's impossible to not dance to it.
Pick up Enough Said at Joe's Records or cdbaby.com. You can find out more about Tee-C at myspace.com/teecf2dmusic.
-- Dylan Gibbs
